


Just Got Burned

by the13thCaretaker



Category: Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica - James A. Owen
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Baking, Gen, Humor, Shenanigans, kitchen disaster
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 09:59:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10332095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the13thCaretaker/pseuds/the13thCaretaker
Summary: Blueberry muffins, missing oven mitts, sarcastic owls, what could go wrong?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blueberryscowler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueberryscowler/gifts).



> this absolutely sucks, and my writing is clunky and awful, but I really did try and I hope you enjoy. I'm much better at angst.

Rose Dyson never thought that she would discover how truly terrible it was to have two Caretakers and a clockwork owl in a kitchen. Some of the Caretakers at Tamerlane house were actually rather splendid at cooking or baking. Others stayed far away from the kitchens, leaving the kitchen work to the feast beasts. One of those who refrained from any kind of cooking or baking, was currently wondering how he had ever gotten into this situation.

It hadn’t been anything drastic, Charles Williams had simply been looking for his dear friend Fred the Badger, who was also a Caretaker, and had at one point, been Charles’ apprentice. He had gone to the kitchens to look for his friend, for he knew the little mammal occasionally liked to remake his grandfather’s blueberry muffins. Sure enough, Fred was there, just sliding a batch into the oven. Unfortunately for Charles, Fred saw him, thanked him, and immediately rushed off before the Caretaker could ask what was going on. It wasn’t but a few minutes before another came in.

“If it isn’t a Caretaker,” droned Archimedes, the clockwork owl, “I suppose the little one thought you were here to keep an eye on the muffins while he went to help Uncas with something.”

“He certainly did, though I knew nothing about it,” Charles said, eyeing the oven.

“Rose was making them with Fred, but she sent me to watch them while she spoke to Hawthorne. It’s just as well that you’re here. If the time is up, they’ll need a pair of hands,” Archie said. “That is, if you’re capable.”

Charles looked at the bird incredulously. “I can do the simple task of pulling a pan from an oven,” he retorted, then added as casually as he could, “You’ll tell me when they need to come out won’t you?”

Archimedes stared at him- though perhaps it was an insufferable glare, Charles couldn’t quite tell- before letting out a sigh. “Yes, yes.”

\+ ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ +

Roughly fifteen minutes later, Charles was crouched in front of the oven, sweat beading on his forehead, and looking desperately into the oven. 

“If they remain in there, any longer we’ll have blueberry crisps,” commented Archie, sitting on Charles’ shoulder.

“I know that! How the devil am I supposed to get them out?” Charles said, almost in hysterics.

When Archie alerted Charles that the muffins were ready to be taken out, the unfortunate Caretaker had discovered that there were no hot pads or oven mitts take carry the hot pan out of the oven. They had quickly come to the conclusion one of the Caretakers Emeritus had decided to carry out a prank. 

“Using your bare hands is an option.”

“Your sarcasm is not appreciated,” Charles quipped.

“The badgers will no doubt admire your nobility.”

“I was just beginning to really appreciate you, Archie, and you’re destroying what there was. Now please! Get Rose?” Charles asked desperately.

“Very well,” the owl said and took off.

\+ ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ +

When Rose found Nathaniel Hawthorne, she almost could not believe her eyes. He was carrying a laundry basket filled with pot holders and oven mitts. 

“Found these all around Tamerlane house,” he said, “Geoff’s been bored, I suspect.”

“These must be all of them! I’m so glad you found them, I have to get them back before the muffins are done!” Rose exclaimed, taking the basket. Quickly she started back to the kitchens- only to collide with Fred and spill the contents of the basket across the floor.

“Sorry Ro- are these the pot holders?” Fred asked.

“All of them! We have to get back to the kitchen!” 

“Oh dear lord,” Fred exclaimed, beginning to help pick them all up. 

When they had finished, Rose and Fred sprinted back towards the kitchens. They paused in horror as a thick cloud of smoke was drifting out the doorway. After sparing a glance at each other they entered.

There they found a very defeated looking Charles, sitting on the floor next to a pan of black blueberry muffins that was resting on his jacket. When the others failed to arrive in time to prevent the tragedy, he had resulted in taking off his coat and using it to guard his hands from the burning hot pan. When he looked up and saw Rose and Fred enter, they had never seen a more ashamed expression. 

“Blueberries! One of the greatest forces of good in the world and I’ve gone and destroyed them!” he howled. “I don’t know why I didn’t use my jacket sooner.”

“Uncle Charles, it’s not your fault!” exclaimed Rose, setting down the basket and taking a seat next to him.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” tried Fred, “Except it’s going to smell for a while. We can always make more.”

“This is why I leave this sort of thing to Michal,” Charles muttered, still feeling awful that he could not rescue the blueberry muffins.

Rose just chuckled and kissed his cheek in response.

“What in God’s name?” came a voice from the doorway. 

The three looked up to see Jack, standing there and waving an oven mitt to clear the smoke. 

“It would seem we were too late,” said Archimedes, flying into the room. He looked pointedly at Rose and Fred. “I was looking for you two.”

“We found a mitt in one of the portraits,” said Jack. He trailed off a little and the traces of amusement began to appear on his face. “It was Geoff’s.”

“Well,” huffed Charles, getting to his feet, placing the now-cooled pan on the counter and shaking off his jacket, “I hope he enjoys the smell.”

Jack chuckled and clapped a hand on his friend’s back. “Better luck next time, old sock.”

“Next time,” announced Fred, “We’ll all be in here, triple check the equipment, and then properly teach Charles how to bake blueberry muffins.”

Rose nodded in agreement, while Charles himself looked skeptical.

“If that works out, maybe I’ll be able to redeem myself,” he agreed.


End file.
